Spread-wire carrier-despatch system.



F. D. POWELL.

SPREAD WIRE CARRIER DESPATCH SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY l3, 19H.

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F. D. POWELL.

SPREAD WIRE CARRIER DESPATCH SYSTEM.

APPUCATION FILED MAY 13. m4.

1,210,984. Patented Jan.2,1917.

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FRANK D. POWELL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, .ASSI (:rl\TOR TO LAMSONCOMPANY,

0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SPREAD-WIRE CARRIER-DESPATCH SYSTEll/L Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

Application filed May 13, 1914. Serial No. 838,850.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I FRANK D. POWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spread-Wire Carrier-Despatch Systems, of which the fo ency for the wire to break, by virtue of an improved construction; and to furthermore provide means for facilitating the replacement of broken wires.

I have further aimed to so construct systems of this character as to substantially eliminate the use of the track and guide or safety wires, as spreading or propelling wires.

Another object of the invention has been to render the apparatus more compact and sightly; indeed, in one of the preferred forms of my improved construction, going so far as to maintain substantially all operative propelling parts, other than the spread wire itself, between the parallel wires which usually constitute the track or way upon which the carrier travels.

These and other objects of my invention will be hereinafter referred to and the novel elements and combinations of means whereby said objects may be attained will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the respective views, I have exemplified preferred forms of my novel apparatus; but as I am aware of various changes and modifications which maybe herein without departing from the spirit of my invention,

I desire to be limited only by the scope of said claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation ofthe propelling apparatus and associated parts disposed at one of the stations of awire-line system; said apparatus and parts being constructed in accordance, with. the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detail section drawn to alarger scale; the section being taken on line IIII of Fig. 1. Fig. 8is. a section taken on line I-II-III of Fig. 2, the track parts, however, being omitted. Fig. 4 is a section taken on line IVIV of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of the connections betweenthe handle, the spreading-wire and its tension cord, shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail plan view of the outer extremity of the plunger casing shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 7 is a View similar to Fig. 1, of a modification, which for certain reasons is regarded as the preferred form of my device.

Referring first to Fig. 1, hereinthe track is composed of two wires, the upper of which has been designated 1, and the lower or guide wire has beendesignated 2. These wires are preferably drawn taut, the respective ends thereof being wound around drums, as at 3 and 4, in a well known manner; said drums being held against rotation by pawls and ratchets 6 and 7. These drums, pawls, etc., at a given end of the line are all preferably mounted within or upon a frame 8 which is pivotally connected at 9 to a swivel strap 10, mounted within a yoke bracket 11 carried upon the lower extremity of a hanger 12 or the like.

' Projecting out from the casing 8, between the wires 1 and 2, is a cylindrical casing or tube 13, the outer extremity of which carries a prow-shaped plug or block 14, firmly secured in place in said extremity, as by means of a pin 15. VVithinthe tube 13 is a helical spring 16, the outer end of which bears against a plunger 17, adapted to ride freely back and forth within the tubing 13. This plunger is preferably cupped to receive the knotted extremity of a rope or cord 18, which extends back from the plunger, preferably axially of the spring 16, and after passing through the frame 8, said cord is looped around a pulley 19 pivoted .in said frame, and has its inner extremity secured within the hub of a clevis 20. A pin or stud 21 passes-through the ears of this-clevis and connects thelatter pivotally to a clevis 22, the ears of which are disposed within those first mentioned, the said pin 21 also passing through the flattened upper extremity of a handle 23. 'Clevis 22 has looped in the body thereof, and thereby firmly secured therein,

the rear end of a spreading-wire 24. The

latter extends forwardly, nearly but not quite in parallelism with the track wires 1 and 2, and has its forward or outer extremity 1 and 2, said frame being preferably mount- 7 ed between said wires after the latter have been made taut or nearly so. In the bottom of this frame is a recess, best shown in Fig. 4, into which extends a wire clamp 26, the lower'portion of which is recessed for the reception of wires 2 and 24, and said portion being substantially J-shaped, to permit.

of the lateral withdrawal of said wires from this part or their insertion thereinto. The upper portion of the part 26 has wedgelike lugs 26 extending therefrom in the direction of the line wires, so that when a set crew; 27 is screwed up into engagement with one of these lugs, the other is thereby driven into engagement with the correspondingly sloped surface within the frame 25;said surface and set screw co-acting to wedge up the clamp 26 well into the recess within which it is mounted. If now, before so wedging or drawing up this part, wires 24 and 2 have been positioned therein in the manner shown by dottedlines in Fig. '1, said wires will be slightly deformed when the block 26 is wedged up and will thereby be clamped firmly in position within the recessed bottom of the frame 25. r

' So far noprovision has been described for connecting the frame 25 to the wire 1. W here but a single spreading wire is used, as shown in said figure, I prefer to slip a split sleeve 28 on to the wire 1, the wire passing through the slit or opening in the side of said sleeve. Frame 25 is recessed downwardly for the reception of this sleeve and when the latter is in place in said frame, a pin 29 is driven longitudinally through frame 25 and the lower portion of the sleeve 28.

There is hence nothing to prevent further tightening or loosening of wires 1 and 2 with respect'to each other, since the upper 31, between which are mounted wheels 32,

adapted to ride upon the wire 1. As this carrier approaches a station, it is usually traveling with considerable momentum and means are provided for taking this latter up or absorbing it to prevent unnecessary shock and noise upon the arrival of the carrier at its destination. Such braking means are already known, but I have effected a material improvement therein since the construction now to be described involves provisions for rendering inoperative the friction means or brake, when a carrier is being despatched. Pivoted to the walls of the carrier body, at 33, are two bent levers 34, one upon either side of the carrier. These levers ext-end forwardly and have their free extremities pivotally connected to an idler or wheel 35. Similarly mounted upon a pin 36 are two other substantially similar levers 37, which arebent to clear the levers 34, and which correspondingly have pivotally mounted between their free extremities a wheel 38. Each of the levers 37 is slotted at the median line of the carrier, asshown Y r being however no slotted connection between elements 40' and 41.

' Each of the up-standing arms of the member 41 carries a fiber block 42 which is of this tube by extending said wire through a ribbedstrip 43 which may be solderedor otherwise, secured to the upper side of the tube '13. Similarly the" wire 2 extends through a covering strip 43 attached to the underside of the tube 13. When the carrier is en route along wiresl and 2, normally the wheels 32 are in engagement with wire 1 and the wheels 35 and 38, above referred to, are in engagement with the underside of the wire 2. When, however, the carrier is arriving at a station, its wheels 32 ride upon the ribbed portion of the covering strip 43 while its wheels 35 and 38, correspondingly engage thestrip 43. At such time the friction blocks 42 will normally be in engagement with the side portions of the tube 13 which are not covered by the strip 43 an the frictional engagement between said the blocks l2 can opposeto the 'momentum of the carrier depends .upon' the :strength of a spring lal, attached-:to the underside of the member 41. This springxis preferably a flat one, bent as showniin Fig. 1, and having the extremities thereof normally inengagement with ledges e5, which project in wardly from the body 30,-intoithecircular space into which the upper extremity of the cash receptacle 46, or the like, projects when this receptacle-is connected to the body of the carrier. It has been; customary heretofore to provide-aufiat spring atthis point for the purpose of pressing downupon=the upper edge of the receptacle- 01' box46 so that the trunnions or pins 77 which project outwardly fromuthe upper end of the said box will normally beheld firmly in engagement with the respectiveribs L8which extend partly around therlower edge of the body 30, upon opposite sidesthereof. In the present case in additionito performing this function the flat spring" in question performs two other'functionsin:that it: re-

places theusual spiral braking spring, andalso by reason of the connection between:

the arms 34 and37, which carry ro-llers35 and 38, and the U-shaped part 41 =to which said spring is-attached, the latter tends to press the wheels35and 38 firmly into engagement with the wire 24. or with the wire 2, as the case may be; according to-whether the carrier is substantially at the'stati'on or is en route along the line. Y I

Obviouslysince the ends-of the spring 4A are in engagement with theupper edge of the box 46, when thelatter is'in position, the tension of said spring is slightly greater at suchxtime thanwhen the box has -been removed forthe purpose of changing the contents thereof or some similar operation. This reduces the frictional 'engagement be tween the blocks 42:. and the tube 13, but as the carrier is notarriving: at" the station at such time such changeiis immaterial. Assuming. now that the carrier has been loaded (by removing its box 46 and after placing therein the article tokbedespatched', and inserting the trunnions 47-into the spaces 48 provided at the respective -extremity' of the I'lbS'Ol ledges 48, S211Cl box hasbeen given a quarter turn, more or less, bayonet-joint fashion) ,said carriermay now be despatched by pulling sharply and firmly downupon the handle 23. This action places the light :springlti under increased compression and" retracts the plunger 17 thereagainst through the intermediacy of the cord 18; the'latter passing freely around itspulley "19. the'handle isalso connected to the clevis 22',

attached to the rear extremity of the'wire' Since 2i, this-end of said wire will be drawn down and will be slightly bent around the pulley or wheel 38. This rocks the lever 37 clownwardly, flattening out the spring 44, and pulling the blocks a2 out of engagement with the tube 13. As the carrier is no longer frictionally held at the station, this iiexure ofthe wire 24 around its rearmost and lower pulley, tends to propel the carrier strongly away from the station; and as the pull is steadily continued, the car gains momentum until by'the time that it reaches the frame 25, it should have attained suiiicient momentum to carry it to the station at the opposite ends of the line. lVhen the carrier returns, until its friction blocks 42 can ride up upon the sides of the prowshaped block 14, so as to position them for engagement with the tube 13, no friction will be offered to the progress of the car by said blocks; but as soon as they are in engagement with said tube, the spring 44 will exert a suflicient pressure thereagainst to speedily bring the car to rest.

It will be observed that as soon as a carrier has been despatched the spring 16 will immediately urge the plunger 17 to the forward end of the tube 13'upon the release of the handle 23 from the hand of the operator, and this movement of cord 18 will draw the wire 24 up into'the position in which it is shown in Fig. 1. Hencewhen the returning carrier arrives at the station. its forward lower wheel 38 does not tend to bend the wire 24 to any material extent, whichtends to prolong the life of said wire as compared with like wires used in systemsin which the arriving carrier more or less sharply and abruptly bends one or the other or both of the spreading wires.

Even if after continued use for a long time, the wire 24 should break, it is a very simple matter to change this short length of'wire by merely slackening the set screw 27 and withdrawing wire 24 from the clamp 26; correspondingly unfastening the clevis 22 and pushing out the looped end of the wire 24 therefrom.

I particularly direct attention also to the compactness of the structure as a whole; all the operating parts, with the exception of the handle 23, being practically within a distance but very little more than that between the wires 1 and 2.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a slight modification in which instead of using a single spreading wire, a plurality of such wires have been provided. In so far as the lower portion of this device is concerned it is substantially identical with that previously dis cussed, and indeed the upper half, including the spreading wire 24, is practically the same as that in the lower half; there being, for example, a block 26 for the wire 1 as well as for the wire 2. In this case, however,

. the brake as in the preceding case, and owing the cord 18, does not have a free end connected to the plunger 17 but rather said plunger, in the present case designated 17, carries a small idler or pulley 50, around which said cord is looped. Hence the cord extends from the clevis 20 below the casing 8", around a pulley 19, and thence around the said idler 50 back to a second pulley 19, whence the upper free end of said cord extends and is attached to an upper clevis 20. The same spring 16 serves to draw both wires 24 and 24 into substantial parallelism with the track, so that but little more mechanism is involved in the present case than in that previously considered. The handle 23, in this form of the device, carries a pulley 51 around which passes an operating cord 52, the lower extremity of which is connected by a link 53 or the like, to the pin 21, while the upper extremity of this operating cord is looped around an idler 54 and thence extends down to a similar link 53 which is attached to the pin 21 of the clevis 20. Idler 54 may be suitably mounted upon a bracket 55 which may extend out from the hanger 12. The operation of this form of my device is very similar to that previously considered,

since when the handle 23 1s grasped and pulled down sharply, but smoothly, cord 52 pulls the links 5853 apart, one upwardly and one downwardly, and thereby spreads the wires 2424:. The downward pressure of the wire 24' upon the wheel 38, releases to the provision of the plurality of spreading wires, the distance to which the car may be projected for a determined downward pull of the handle 23, is of course considerably greater than would normally be possible where but a single wire 24 is used.

In conclusion, I desire to point out that where in certain of the appended claims the term spreading-wire is used, such term is of course not to be construed as being limited to a wire, but rather is to be regarded as of suflicient breadth to cover any equivalent element or device.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is 1. In a wire-line carrier despatch system the combination of a way, comprising twoparallel wires, a carrier to travel along said way, a flexible element attached at a point along said way and adapted, when being angularly spread apart from said way, to pro pel said carrier, means to spread said element angularly apart from said way, and means movable longitudinally of said way to draw said flexible element normally into substantial parallelism with said way, said means being disposed between said two parallel wires.

2. In a wire-line carrier despatch system the combination of a way, a carrier to travel along said way, a flexible element distinct from said way, wedge acting clamping means to detachably attach said element to said way, and means, co-acting with said 7 clamping means, to normally hold said element under tension, and means to spread said element from said way, said element, when being spread apart from said way, being adapted to propel said carrier.

3. In a wire-line carrier despatch system, a way extending between two stations, a carrier to travel along said way, a flexible element, attached to a point substantially in said way, forrpropelling said carrier from, one of said stations by the spreading apart of said element from said way, means to spread said element from said way, a casing in parallelism with said way, means in said casing for drawing said elementinto substantial parallelism with said way, and friction means carried by said carrier and adapted to co-act with said casing to check the cally slackening said friction brake when said flexible element is operated to propel said carrier away from said part of said track. r

5. In a wire-line carrier despatch system, a track extending between two stations, a wheeled carrier to travel along said track, a flexible element adapted to be spread apart from the track to propel said carrier along the latter, means to spread said element from said track, a friction 'braketo' co-act with a part. of said track to normally oppose the movement'of said carrier over said part, and means for automatically slackening said friction brake. when said flexible element is operated to propel said carrier away from'said part of said track, said brake-slackening means including levers upon which at least one of the wheels of said carrier is mounted. 6. In a system of the class described, a carrier having a body portion and a receptacle adapted to be detachably attached to said body portion, means, including a wire to propel said carrier, and'a friction brake to check said carrier upon its return, said friction brake being applied by the spring above mentioned. v

7. In a system of the class described, a carrier having a body portion and a receptacle adapted to be detachably attached to said body portion, means, including a spring, for maintaining proper relationship between said receptacle and body portion when these parts are assembled, a spreading wire to propel said carrier, a friction brake to check said carrier upon its return, said friction brake being applied by the spring above mentioned, and said carrier having provisions whereby the pull upon said spreading-wire when despatching said carrier, opposes said spring and slackens the brake.

8. In a wire-line carrier despatch system, a pair of parallel wires constituting a way, a carrier to travel along said way, a spreading-wire to propel said carrier, means to clamp a part of said spreading wire to said way at any desired point along the latter, a handle to operate said spreading wire, and means to draw said handle up toward said way.

9. In a wire-line carrier despatch system, a pair of parallel wires constituting a way, a carrier to travel along said way, a spreadin -wire to propel said carrier, and means to attach a part of said spreading wire to one of the wires of said way at a point out along the length of the latter and between the ends thereof.

10. In a wire-line carrier despatch system, a way, a carrier to travel along said way, two spreading-wires to propel said carrier, said spreading wires being each less in length than the length of said way and being each normally in parallelism with said way, means to simultaneously and oppositely spread said wires away from said way, and means to return said spreading wires to parallelism with said way.

11. In a wire-line carrier despatch system,

a way, a carrier to travel along said way, two spreading-wires to propel said carrier, said spreading wires being normally in parallelism with said way and being of less length than said way, means to spread said wires oppositely away from said way, and means to return said Wires to parallelism with said way.

12. In a wire-line carrier despatch system, a way, a carrier to travel along said Way, two carrier propelling spreading Wires, each of less length than said way, means to substantially simultaneously spread said wires oppositely away from said way, and means, common to both of said wires, for returning them to substantial parallelism with said way.

13. In a wire-line carrier despatch system, a way, a carrier to travel along said way, two spreading-wires to propel said carrier, means to spread said wires away from said way and away from one another, and means common to both of said spreadingwires for returning them to determined and normally occupied positions.

14. In a wire-line carrier despatch system, a way, a carrier to travel thereon, two spreading-wires extending in substantial parallelism to said way, and means to spread said spreading-wires apart from said way and away from one another to propel said carrier, said last mentioned means including a flexible element connected to both of said wires, a pulley over which said element passes and a handle for placing said element under tension.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JULIUS D. GRoLL, ELSIE C. IRPHAL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

